Wanna One reunites for reality show seven years after disbandment
Project group Wanna One reunites through a reality show for the first time in seven years. Courtesy of CJ ENM
K-pop project group Wanna One will reunite for a new reality show seven years after disbanding, K-pop content platform Mnet Plus announced Wednesday.
The 11-member group's new program, "WANNA ONE GO — Back to Base," will premiere April 28. Prior to the broadcast, the group will host an in-person fan event April 6 at DMC Culture Park in western Seoul. Organizers prepared the gathering to officially announce the program's start and allow the members to reconnect with their fan base, known as Wannable.
The group generated a nationwide cultural phenomenon upon debuting in 2017. They immediately sold out the Gocheok Sky Dome, Korea's largest indoor arena, sold 1 million copies of their debut album and swept rookie and grand prize honors at major award ceremonies.
Even after the project group disbanded, the 11 members — Kang Daniel, Park Ji-hoon and Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Lai Kuan-lin, Yoon Ji-sung, Hwang Min-hyun, Bae Jin-young and Ha Sung-woon — established themselves as solo singers, actors and producers. The upcoming program is highly anticipated globally as it gathers the successful individuals back under the Wanna One name.
"Wanna One was an icon symbolizing an era beyond a simple project group," the production team said. "This reality show, where the members, having established their own careers, will reunite as Wanna One, will be a return fans have been anticipating for years."
The news generated immediate industry attention. Expectations for the full reunion remain high, especially after the members previously delivered a special performance at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards. (The Korea Times)